Nothing is mine.

One down. Two still to go...

In Glorious Pass

Moonlight fell in soft, pale beams through the gnarled ancient branches of the oak tree, pooling upon the amaranth flowering in its shade. The stars shone above its rustling leaves, all the heavens brimmed with sparkling starlight.

'Perseus.' Artemis perched upon the branch, a small, proud smile on her lips and her crimson eyes full of the same fierce fondness he'd seen before. 'You did well. You and the other members of your quest. The first clash ends with victory for Olympus and my father's order.'

'It's not over yet,' he said. 'The prophecy said there are going to be three.'

'It never ends,' she murmured. 'The Gigantes come again, born from earth and sky and suffering to rail against the natural order of things; they will come over and over until the sun burns out and the stars fade. Some will always try to rip down the natural order in hope of freedom or imposing their own will on the world, as the unrest in the world grows, more and more begin to dream of it, and yet...'

'You won.'

Artemis's lips twitched. 'We won. Your companions. Your sisters. You. You all chose to value the Wild for what it is when others might have yearned to control it, to destroy its beauty out of fear and envy. Artemis Agrotera triumphed because you tipped the balance. There could be but one small spot of wilderness left in all the world, so long as it is truly precious, it has power. Aigaion will come again if the conflict rages on too long and, one day, even if the order of Olympus is victorious now, he will rise again once more.'

'Will he ever win?' Percy whispered. 'Will he ever be able to…?'

'Not while there are those like you, your companions, and your sisters, who know better than to think the world and the wild was made solely for them to mutilate and abuse. Not ever, unless those like you choose to turn your back on what you hold dear and pursue other things.' A touch of sharpness flitted through her red irises. 'But each of the Gigantes believes they are utterly superior over the order they oppose. In this, we are fortunate, for they dismiss the very thing they need for victory and grant us a slim but crucial advantage.' The sharpness spread to the smile on her lips. 'And the hunter gives up no advantage to their quarry.'

'What if one of them does win?' he asked. 'Because the third one to lose…'

Might be me. Or if it's not me, it could be Katie, or Clarisse. He drew himself up. No, it will be me, or it will be nobody. Never again.

'You still fear it will be you,' Artemis murmured. 'Perhaps it will be, but recall, Perseus, that prophecies are not always what they seem and do not seek it. The world is a far kinder place with you in it to kindle hope; you inspire many to be better than they might have otherwise been.'

'I won't seek it. If I choose well, I can't die. Or, I don't think I can. And if I don't…'

'If you do not, you will fall, Perseus, one way or another, at my hand or some other, but you have passed every test laid before you. Who could lead you astray now?' She dropped from the branch onto the balls of her feet in the long grass and rested her hand on his shoulder, her eyes brightening to swirling pools of molten silver. 'If Aphrodite herself cannot…'

Percy mustered a grin. 'And she has tried.'

'Over and over, as is her way.' Artemis's soft, proud smile snatched his heart up into the heavens among the stars. 'But you stand strong beneath all the weight of the world, as you have since the moment you lifted it from my shoulders.' Her fingers brushed his cheek as she drew them back, leaving his heart trembling like a drop of water swept aloft into the storm. 'Now, you must wake. It is time for you and your companions to depart; your quest continues.' A terrible sadness shone in Artemis's silver eyes as her and the forest faded. 'I cannot aid you beyond that which pertains to my domain, by my father's decree, but I fear the test ahead will hurt, Perseus.'

Because if it's not me, it will be Katie. Or Clarisse. He smothered the small ripples of dread, smoothed them out into a clear, still woodland pool shining amidst sunlit glades. But I can't take their choices from them. They have to choose well. And then one day I'll see them again in Elysium, without regrets.

Percy opened his eyes with a yawn, shoving his feet into his trainers and stumbling out with his bag into the morning sun. Iphi, Katie and Clarisse sat on a patch of flattened grass just above the lake shore, poring over something between them.

'There he is,' Iphi said. 'Come here, Percy. You ought to know this too.'

'What's this?' He stifled another yawn. 'I thought we were going to try and figure out where we were headed next?'

'We have been.' Clarisse pointed her hand down between them, the bronze bangle swinging from her wrist. 'I'm pretty sure I know where we're going anyways.'

'Where?' Percy wandered across and peered down at the map.

'Glorious Pass has got to be Glorieta Pass,' she replied, tapping a spot on the map. 'It makes sense and it's not even that far from here.'

'You can go north from here until you find Route Forty,' Iphi said. 'Then head east until you reach Route Twenty-five. That road takes you north again and basically right to Glorieta Pass.'

'Pretty simple,' Percy said. 'Are we sure it's that?'

'The prophecy basically named it, Sea-boy,' Clarisse said. 'There's about three letters difference.'

'Look, she can count.' Katie beamed. 'Well done, Clarisse. We're all so proud.'

A snort of laughter escaped Clarisse. 'Careful, Plant-Princess, or I'll tell Percy about the cucumber joke.'

'The what?' Iphi blinked.

'I don't know,' Percy complained. 'They don't tell me.'

'Whatever, then.' She pointed down the hill. 'The car park back that way has a few cars that got abandoned, you can probably get one started or find some keys. Better than running, particularly when you're so slow, Percy.'

'I'm not that slow.'

'You run like you have lead weights around your feet.'

'And yet I won the hunt,' Percy said, grinning back at her. 'So there.'

'You will not win a second time,' Iphi vowed. 'Now go, and may the Fates be kind to you on your quest, Percy.'

They will be what they were always going to be. Kind or cruel. All we can do is choose.

'If nothing else, it'll make a nice change from normal.' Percy helped her fold the map away as Clarisse and Katie gathered up their things. 'Time to go find another Gigantes and probably lose what's left of my t-shirt.'

'Car park is this way.' Clarisse started along the lake edge. 'Might as well get going. Right, Percy?'

'Right.'

I might not see Iphi again. Or Thalia. His heart sank, drifting down into the dark place beneath all the weight of the waves. Or Artemis.

'Goodbye, Iphi,' Percy murmured.

Iphi's brown eyes snapped up. 'We will doubtless meet again, Percy. Without regret.'

A small smile smoothed out the clamouring waves of that crushing bottomless black. 'I'll be waiting.' He patted the slim line of Anaklusmos. 'Don't let Thalia do anything more stupid than usual… And say goodbye to her for me too.'

'I will.' Iphi watched him go with a soft, sombre gleam in her brown eyes.

Percy felt the weight of it tingling between his shoulder blades as he strode after Clarisse and Katie. Artemis, if it is me this time, please give Katie the chance of sisterhood here.

I can only offer choice, Perseus. Artemis's words whispered through his thoughts like a giant mountain breeze through the long grass. As you know, she must make that choice herself.

I know. But when I'm gone, I think she'll choose well. Percy mustered a grin. Who could say no to the great Artemis Aristo?

Do you want breasts so badly, Perseus? Her words brimmed with laughter like a forest full of bright birdsong. Mock the Gods at your peril.

'Hurry up, Sea-Boy!' Clarisse yelled, ducking around a large wooden sign. 'Katie's starting to pout.'

Percy rolled his eyes as Katie dug her elbow into Clarisse's ribs and jogged the last few yards. 'I hope there's another ferrari.'

They trudged down through the narrow trail and out into the car park. A scatter of cars and vans waited upon the grey tarmac.

'Damn it,' he said. 'Well, I suppose I probably wouldn't want to make a deal with Aphrodite for another car anyway.'

'What deal?' Katie turned a little pink.

'She just wanted to talk,' Percy said. 'Although she did kiss me on the cheek, which was terrifying and quite possibly permanently traumatising.'

'Let's get a van,' Clarisse said, spinning the bangle on her wrist into her bronze hoplon. 'I always wanted to drive a van.'

'Can any of us drive?' Percy asked.

'No,' Katie said.

'Yes.' Clarisse stomped over to the van and smashed the window with her shield. 'I can hotwire a car, too.'

'And why do you know how to do that?' Katie asked.

Clarisse shrugged and brushed broken glass away. 'After mom died, things were a bit tough. Had to nick some stuff to get by. Can't nick a car if you can't drive it away.'

'Oh,' Katie mumbled. 'Sorry.'

'Don't be—' Clarisse flashed her a sharp grin '—it's come in handy quite a bit.'

'So we go to this pass place,' Percy said. 'And then we fight another of the Gigantes. Well, probably not fight, we can't fight them, but we'll help someone else fight them.'

'Probably dad since it's at a battlefield,' Clarisse said. 'We had the nature one that Katie's kind of involved with, then the one my dad's probably involved with, and then…' She straightened up, raising her chin. 'The last one, strategos.'

'Sunny Vale,' Katie whispered, her fingertips brushing Percy's arm.

'Maybe there will be more horses there,' he said, 'but nice ones this time.'

'I think the other ones will be gone for a while,' Clarisse said, ripping off the side of the dashboard. 'Heracles managed to tame them after they ate some guy, but you killed them all.'

'Heracles again.' Percy shook his head. 'I swear I must have done most of his labours by now.'

'You fought the hydra on your first quest,' Katie said. 'And the Nemean Lion.'

'I caught the Ceryneian Hind in a contest for Artemis,' he replied. 'And I think I ticked the Cerberus off on my first quest as well.

'We also faced the stymphalian birds when Luke and Ethan attacked camp,' Clarisse fiddled with the wires and the engine stuttered into life. 'Got it.'

'And the Mares of Diomedes we just defeated.' Percy counted them on his fingers. 'I'm still a few short. And I can only think of one more.'

The apple of the Hesperides. A cold of foreboding trickled down his spine like a single drop of cold water sliding across skin. Zeus's challenge. The chance to become part of the nature of the world.

Katie beamed. 'The Erymanthian boar, the Augean stables, the Cretan Bull, the girdle of Hippolyta, the cattle of Geryon, and…'

'The golden apple,' Percy murmured. 'At the top of Mount Tamalpais's spire.'

'Do the other ones first,' Clarisse said, sweeping broken glass off the driver's seat. 'That way if Ladon eats you, you'll still have gotten close. Heracles has some extra ones too, because he got help with some of the first labours and Hera was feeling mean.'

'Taking the girdle doesn't sound too tough.' Percy smiled to himself. 'But it's impossible to take a golden apple and live. Ladon doesn't look like he loses many fights. Or any fights, for that matter.'

'Get in,' Clarisse said. 'There's only one passenger seat, though, so someone is sitting in someone else's lap.'

'I don't mind,' Katie blurted, flushing bright red.

Clarisse cackled. 'Wow, Strawberry-Girl. Completely shameless there. Going to strip down for it, too?'

Katie shot her a scowl. 'Shut up, Clarisse. We both know you do more than cuddle your spear at night.'

'Can one of us just go in the back?' Percy asked.

'I'm a daughter of Demeter, I don't like enclosed dark spaces,' Katie mumbled, the crimson flush creeping a little further up her cheeks. 'And it's not fair to throw you in the back. You're… you.'

Oh Katie. Percy smothered a long sigh, cold, guilty waves churning in the pit of his stomach. But if I'm soon to be gone, who am I to deny her a happy moment?

'Okay,' he said. 'But there's a condition, you have to wear the fleece of the Nemean Lion from now on.'

Katie hauled it out of the top of her bag and wrapped it around her shoulders, shaking her blonde hair down over the top of it.

'It's not very wearable,' Clarisse said. 'You look like you're drowning in it; you can't fight in that, Flower-girl.'

'True,' Percy said. 'But maybe…'

Artemis, I know you're probably busy again now, but I don't suppose you could make the Nemean Lion fleece a little bit more useful for Katie. I gave her my word.

The Nemean Lion pelt melted into ebony leggings and a tight, amaranth-red hoodie.

Thank you, my lady. Maybe now it won't be her.

'Get changed, Plant-Girl,' Clarisse said. 'Then we should go. No point hanging around.'

'I'd rather we just got on with it,' Percy said. 'No point tarrying on the brink.'

Katie pulled her hoodie off and kicked off her boots; she shimmied out of her jeans, flashing strawberry-patterned, white underwear as the hem of her green t-shirt rose above her thighs.

'Cute,' Clarisse said. 'Who's standing there nearly naked now?'

'Me,' Katie retorted; her cheeks and the tips of her ears glowed bright pink. 'But there's nowhere to go and get changed, is there? And I don't mind.'

Clarisse snorted. 'I bet you don't.'

'You could have gone around the other side of the van,' Percy said.

Katie's green eyes held his for a second. 'I could have, but…'

You wanted me to see.

'Katie—'

'No,' she said. 'You think the third part of the prophecy means you, but you survived before and if you do again without becoming a god or something, then I want you to make me a promise.'

'What sort of promise?' Percy asked, little ripples of unease tugging at his gut.

Katie bit her lip. 'To let me have a chance to make you happy.' She rested her hands on her hips, bare-legged from where the green hem of her t-shirt fluttered about her thighs. 'I can. And you don't have to stop loving her, because then you fall, you can love her and still be happy with me. You could love me just a little, right?'

Clarisse took a quiet step back and ducked into the driver's seat.

Percy's heart plummeted. 'Katie, I can't…'

'You can,' she mumbled. 'Just a little bit. You don't know for sure it's you, Percy. So you can promise to let me try, just in case.'

If it's not me, it's going to be you or Clarisse, so I guess it doesn't matter too much in the end. Choose well.

'If it is me, then I want you to choose good things after I'm gone,' Percy murmured. 'If someone offers you something that could be amazing, take it. Even if I'm gone.'

'Done.' Katie beamed. 'Do you promise?'

'I give you my word.'

There. A small, satisfied sense of happiness settled on him like the gentle warmth of summer waves at Montauk. Now there won't be any regrets for any of us.

AN: More of this and many other things via the link!

linktr . ee / mjbradley